United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2003-05-08 monographic deposited born digital 18 p. GA 1.13:GAO-03-764T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T P0b002ee180382cb3 f:d03764t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T GAO-03-764T Bridges Construction costs Cost control Highway planning Public roads or highways Road construction Federal aid for highways Federal aid to states Federal funds Funds management Testimony A06851

Improving the oversight and controlling the costs of major highway and bridge projects is important for the federal government, which often pays 80 percent of these projects' costs. Widespread consensus exists on the need to fund such projects, given the doubling of freight traffic and worsening congestion projected over the next 20 years, yet growing competition for limited federal and state funding dictates that major projects be managed efficiently and cost effectively. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides funding to the states for highway and bridge projects through the federal-aid highway program. This funding is apportioned to the states, and state departments of transportation choose eligible projects for funding. FHWA provides oversight to varying degrees, and, under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), FHWA and each state enter into an agreement documenting the types of projects the state will oversee. This statement for the record summarizes cost and oversight issues raised in reports and testimonies GAO has issued since 1995 on major highway and bridge projects and describes options that GAO has identified to enhance federal oversight of these projects, should Congress determine that such action is needed and appropriate. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T.pdf GAO-03-764T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-764T Testimony GAO-03-764T; Federal-Aid Highways: Cost and Oversight of Major Highway and Bridge Projects--Issues and Options; Bridges Construction costs Cost control Highway planning Public roads or highways Road construction Federal aid for highways Federal aid to states Federal funds Funds management Title 23 Section 145 23 U.S.C. 145